Mail-box.



Patented A r. 30, mm. H. N. KING.

I AIL B 0 X (A umion filed m. 23, 1900.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES.

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flb; .dttorn ey Tn: "cams PETERS 00 Puorauwa. wnsumsrdn. 0. c4

-No. 672,943. Patented Apr. 30, I90l.

' H. N. KING.

' m. BOX.

(Application filed Mar. 23, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(lo Iodel.)

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.

THE uoams PETERS co. PHOTD-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

HENRY N. KING, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

- MAlL-iBOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,943, dated April 30, 1901,

Application filed March 23, 1900. Serial No. 9,872. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY N. KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adrian, county of Lenawee, State of Michigamhave invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mail-Boxes; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in mail-boxes, the invention having for its object a box of superior utility and efficiency.

I carry out my invention as more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the hood and adjacent door in closed position. Fig. 4 is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 3, showing the revolving door in closed position and the trap in open position. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the revolving door in open position and the trap in closed position. Fig. 6 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the hood and adjacent door in open position. Fig. 7 is a view in horizontal section, showing certain features of the construction of the body of the box.

In the drawings the body of the box is shown at a, the same being provided with a cover I) and with a door 0, through which the mailmatter may be removed, "the same being hinged to the base of the box, as indicated at d. Above said door is a hood 6, jointedly engaged with the adjacent portion of the box, as indicated at f. The hood is open on the under side thereof. Any suitable locking device may be employed to secure the door in normal position. Underneath the hood is engaged a swinginghasp g, jointedly engaged with the adjacent portion of the box, as indicated at h. This hasp or arm 9 may serve to fasten the hood in open position, as indicated in Fig. 6. Any suitable means may be provided to lock said door in closed position.

For example, said door may be provided with a staple i and the hasp or arm 9 with a cor- ]0 being engaged with the staple.

responding opening j to receive said staple,

an ordinary padlock or other fastening device Above the closed door is a flange (indicated at Z) to more effectually exclude any liability of water entering into the box.

To support the door 0 in open position and prevent its dropping too far, the base of the door is formed with ribs m, provided at their extremity with a shoulder (indicated at n) to abut against the adjacent surface of the box and support the door in open position. The box may be provided with a plate or bracket p. against which said shoulder may strike, at the bottom of the box. The hood is preferably provided with a lug q to engage the hasp to hold the hood in open position.

Underneath the coverband movable therewithin is a revolving door, (indicated at 7-,) the same being provided with end walls, as shown, trunnioned to the side of the box, as indicated at 3; Within the upper end of the box is a trap, (indicated at t,) pivotally engaged at the forward edge thereof with the sides of the box, as indicated at u, and connected with the ends of the revolving door by a link or links U, pivot-ally connected with the door and with the trap, as indicated at w and m. The trap may be provided with ears, as shown, by means of which. it may be piv otally engaged with the sides of the box, the links 0 being pivotally connected also with said ears and with the ends of the revolving d0or,so that when the revolving door is opened the link will lift the trap and whereby when the door is closed the link will depress the trap. By this construction it will be obvious that when the door is closed, as indicated in Fig. 4, the trap will be open, and vice versa. When the revolving door is open, the trap will be closed, as indicated in Fig. 5, the trap closing up against the under edge of the revolving door. When the revolving door is open, an opening is afforded (indicated at y) to receive mail-matter.

The revolving door r is preferably made of cast metal, as also the cover b. The body of the box may be of any suitable construction so far as the features above described are concerned. I prefer, however, to construct the sides and ends of the box of steel plates of suitable dimensions riveted together, such plates being indicated by the numeral 1, engaged with angle-irons 2 at the corners thereof. Beneath the closed revolving doom is a cover strip or ledge, (indicated by the numeral 3,) forming a part of the cover 1), provided with a rib or shoulder 4 at its upper edge, over which the revolving door closes.

The lower edges of the coverb are rabbeted, as indicated at 8, to set down over the adjacent plate 1 and resting upon the angle-iron corner-pieces 2, as shown, the cover portion being riveted at its lower edges to the plate 1, as indicated at z. The bottom of the box is preferably constructed of a plate 5, provided with down wardly-projecting flanges 6, riveted to the side and end plates 1, as indicated at 7.

The cover I), with its cover strip or ledge 3, is constructed to form the elongated opening 1 through which mail may be inserted first under the revolving cover and upon the trap, from whence it is dropped into the box when the cover is in normal position. The coverstrip is upwardly inclined, and the revolving door closing over the rib or shoulder 4 elfectually keeps out rain and sleet.

In the operation of the box it is evident that the person desiring to deposit mail-matter will throw up or back the revolving cover, opening the orifice y, at the same time throwing up the trap 15. When the mail has been deposited within the opening y, the cover will drop down in its closed position. It will be apparent that it will be impossible to get access into the interior of the box, inasmuch as the trap closes when the revolving cover is open.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination of a mail-box, a swinging door jointedly connected at its lower end to said box, a swinging hood jointedly connected at its upper end to the box above said door and extending downward over the upper portion of the door, and a hasp jointedly connected at its upper end to the box over the upper edge of said door and below the upper edge of said hood to engage said hood in open position and to hold the door in locked position when closed, said hood on its inner surface provided with a device to engage the free end of the hasp to hold the hood in open position, and the base of the door provided with means to support the door in open position.

2. The combination with a mail-box having at the top thereof a stationary cover, and a front stationary cover'strip or ledge spaced from said cover forming a receiving-opening above said ledge extending lengthwise between said ledge and said cover, of a door arcshaped in cross-section revoluble within the box underneath said cover having end walls centrally journaled to the ends of the box between the front and rear edges ofthe door to close down upon the upper edge of said ledge to control said opening, a swinging trap within the box fulcrumed at its forward edge underneath said ledge to the ends of the box, and a link connecting each end of the trap rearward of the corresponding fulcrum with the adjacent end of said door forward of the corresponding journal, whereby the rear edge of the trap will be forced downward when the door is closed, and whereby the trap will be lifted into closed position under the door when the door is opened.

3. The combination with a mail-box provided at the top thereof with a stationary cover, and a front stationary upwardly and rearwardlyinclined cover striporledge spaced from said cover forming a receiving-opening above said ledge extending lengthwise between said ledge and said cover, of a door areshaped in cross-section revoluble within said box underneath said cover provided with end walls centrally journaled between the front and rear edges of the door within said box to control said opening, a swinging trap within the box fulcru med at its forward edge underneath said cover strip or ledge to the ends of the box, and a link connecting each end of the trap rearward of the corresponding fulcrum with the adjacent end of said door forward of the corresponding journal, whereby the rear edge of the trap will be forced downward when the door is closed, and whereby the trap will be lifted into closed position under the door when the door is opened, said strip or ledge provided at its upper edge with a longitudinal rib or shoulder over which the revoluble door closes.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY N. KING.

Witnesses:

JOHN GAHAGAN, LEN G. SHAW. 

